Job 29

Job's Summary Defense

1 And Job again z took up his discourse, and said:

2 "Oh, that I were as in the months of old,
as in the days when God watched over me,
 3 when his a lamp shone upon my head,
and by his light I walked through darkness,
 4 as I was in my prime, 1
when the b friendship of God was upon my tent,
 5 when the Almighty was yet with me,
when my c children were all around me,
 6 when my steps were d washed with e butter,
and f the rock poured out for me streams of g oil!
 7 When I went out to h the gate of the city,
when I prepared my seat in the square,
 8 the young men saw me and withdrew,
and the aged rose and stood;
 9 the princes refrained from talking
and i laid their hand on their mouth;
 10 the voice of the nobles was hushed,
and their j tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
 11 When the ear heard, it called me blessed,
and when the eye saw, it approved,
 12 because I k delivered the poor who cried for help,
and the fatherless who had none to help him.
 13 l The blessing of him who was m about to perish came upon me,
and I caused n the widow's heart to sing for joy.
 14 I o put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
my justice was like a robe and p a turban.
 15 I was q eyes to the blind
and feet to the lame.
 16 I was a father to the needy,
and I searched out r the cause of him whom I did not know.
 17 I s broke t the fangs of the unrighteous
and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
 18 u Then I thought, 'I shall die in my v nest,
and I shall multiply my days as w the sand,
 19 my x roots spread out to y the waters,
with the dew all night on my z branches,
 20 my glory fresh with me,
and my a bow ever b new in my hand.'

21 "Men listened to me and waited
and kept silence for my counsel.
 22 After I spoke they did not speak again,
and my word c dropped upon them.
 23 They waited for me as for the rain,
and they d opened their mouths as for the e spring rain.
 24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence,
and f the light of my g face they did not cast down.
 25 I chose their way and sat as chief,
and I lived like h a king among his troops,
like one who comforts mourners.

  1. Cross References
    Job 27:1
    And Job again took up his discourse, and said:
    Numbers 23:7
    And Balaam took up his discourse and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: 'Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!
  2. Cross References
    Job 18:6
    The light is dark in his tent, and his lamp above him is put out.
    2 Samuel 21:17
    But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid and attacked the Philistine and killed him. Then David's men swore to him, "You shall no longer go out with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.
    Psalms 18:28
    For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
  3. Cross References
    Psalms 25:14
    The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.
    Proverbs 3:32
    For the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence.
    Job 15:8
    Have you listened in the council of God? And do you limit wisdom to yourself?
  4. Cross References
    Job 1:2
    There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
    Psalms 128:3
    Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
  5. Cross References
    Genesis 49:11
    Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey's colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes.
  6. Cross References
    Job 20:17
    He will not look upon the rivers, the streams flowing with honey and curds.
  7. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 32:13 - 14
    He made him ride on the high places of the land, and he ate the produce of the field, and he suckled him with honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock.
    Psalms 81:16
    But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.
  8. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 33:24
    And of Asher he said, "Most blessed of sons be Asher; let him be the favorite of his brothers, and let him dip his foot in oil.
  9. Cross References
    Job 5:4
    His children are far from safety; they are crushed in the gate, and there is no one to deliver them.
  10. Cross References
    Job 21:5
    Look at me and be appalled, and lay your hand over your mouth.
  11. Cross References
    Psalms 22:15
    My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.
    Psalms 137:6
    Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!
    Lamentations 4:4
    The tongue of the nursing infant sticks to the roof of its mouth for thirst; the children beg for food, but no one gives to them.
    Ezekiel 3:26
    And I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and unable to reprove them, for they are a rebellious house.
  12. Cross References
    Psalms 72:12
    For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper.
  13. Cross References
    Job 31:20
    If his body has not blessed me, and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep.
  14. Cross References
    Proverbs 31:6
    Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress.
    Isaiah 27:13
    And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem.
  15. Cross References
    Ruth 2:20
    And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!" Naomi also said to her, "The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.
  16. Cross References
    Psalms 132:9
    Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,...
    Isaiah 59:17
    He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a...
    Isaiah 61:10
    I will greatly rejoice in the Lord ; my soul sh...
    Isaiah 11:5
    Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, a...
    Ephesians 6:14
    Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of...
    1 Thessalonians 5:8
    But since we belong to the day, let us be sober...
  17. Cross References
    Isaiah 62:3
    You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
    Zechariah 3:5
    And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by.
    Job 19:9
    He has stripped from me my glory and taken the crown from my head.
  18. Cross References
    Numbers 10:31
    And he said, "Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us.
  19. Cross References
    Proverbs 29:7
    A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.
  20. Cross References
    Psalms 3:7
    Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.
  21. Cross References
    Psalms 58:6
    O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!
    Proverbs 30:14
    There are those whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mankind.
  22. Cross References
    Psalms 30:6
    As for me, I said in my prosperity, "I shall never be moved.
  23. Cross References
    Numbers 24:21
    And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said, "Enduring is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock.
    Job 39:27
    Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high?
  24. Cross References
    Genesis 22:17
    I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies.
  25. Cross References
    Job 18:16
    His roots dry up beneath, and his branches wither above.
  26. Cross References
    Psalms 1:3
    He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
  27. Cross References
    Job 14:9
    Yet at the scent of water it will bud and put out branches like a young plant.
  28. Cross References
    Genesis 49:24
    Yet his bow remained unmoved; his arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel).
  29. Cross References
    Isaiah 40:31
    But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
    Isaiah 41:1
    Listen to me in silence, O coastlands; let the peoples renew their strength; let them approach, then let them speak; let us together draw near for judgment.
  30. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 32:2
    May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, like gentle rain upon the tender grass, and like showers upon the herb.
    Deuteronomy 33:28
    So Israel lived in safety, Jacob lived alone, in a land of grain and wine, whose heavens drop down dew.
  31. Cross References
    Psalms 119:131
    I open my mouth and pant, because I long for your commandments.
    Isaiah 5:14
    Therefore Sheol has enlarged its appetite and opened its mouth beyond measure, and the nobility of Jerusalem and her multitude will go down, her revelers and he who exults in her.
  32. Cross References
    Proverbs 16:15
    In the light of a king's face there is life, and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.
    Jeremiah 3:3
    Therefore the showers have been withheld, and the spring rain has not come; yet you have the forehead of a whore; you refuse to be ashamed.
    Zechariah 10:1
    Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field.
    Deuteronomy 11:14
    He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil.
  33. Cross References
    Proverbs 16:15
    In the light of a king's face there is life, and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.
  34. Cross References
    Genesis 4:5
    But for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.
  35. Cross References
    Job 15:24
    Distress and anguish terrify him; they prevail against him, like a king ready for battle.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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